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The Consequences of Homelessness
Homeless children are twice as likely to experience hunger. Two-thirds feel they won't get enough to eat. Over one-third report being forced to skip meals. Homelessness increases illness and the ability to pay for it. "Children who experience homelessness are more than twice as likely as middle class children to have moderate to severe acute and chronic health problems."
They're twice as likely to repeat a grade in school, be expelled or suspended, or have to drop out and be deprived of education during their formative years. "At the end of high school, few homeless students are proficient in reading and math - and their estimated graduation rate is below 25%."
Yet with enough federal, state and local funding, child homelessness could end in a decade. Instead, it's increasing because Washington ignores it. States aren't doing enough - nearly half of them very little.
NCFH's report reviews several state programs with enough "infrastructure and programs needed to turn the tide. At least six states have created extensive plans to combat (the problem), and a dozen (more) have done significant planning."
If them, why not all? Why not a federal program as well? Innovative ones exist with effective ideas, strategies, and plans that work. Implementing them is the challenge, but too little is being done. Without them, "It is virtually impossible to reclaim the life of a child who has spent his (or her) childhood without a home....Failure to house one child for even one day represents an unacceptable societal failing."
Yet, from 2.3 - 3.5 million Americans experience homelessness at least once a year. They include single adults (some "chronically homeless"), unaccompanied youths (including runaways), and families with children.
NCFH's report covers the latter group, comprising over one-third of the homeless, a number steadily growing.
In any year, around 97% of homeless children have moved. One-fourth or more witnessed violence, and 22% were separated from their families. About half of school-age homeless children experience anxiety and depression, another 20% of pre-schoolers have emotional problems requiring professional care.
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